With the approaching fog season it would be appropriate to cover some basics about driving in fog. In a previous column we covered what is known as perception and reaction time. When a person drives in the fog perception and reaction time is crucial to personal safety and the safety of others.
To review perception and reaction time I will cover some basic concepts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states the perception and reaction time for average driver is 1.5 second, .75 seconds to perceive a threat in the roadway and .75 seconds to react to the threat in the roadway. This perception and reaction time directly relates to driving in the fog because visibility is greatly affected. The example I use is to imagine driving down the road, if a vehicle was disabled in the middle of the road or a person was crossing the road would I be able to safely stop before a collision occurred. Fog is the best example of people violating the basic speed law.
Vehicle Code Section 22350 states, “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.” This law is also known as the basic speed law.
After viewing several studies on the affects of driving in the fog, a majority of drivers do not show a tendency to drive faster in the fog but the studies do show that drivers tend to overestimate how far the drivers can clearly see. This is an example of how fog affects speed on the freeway. The posted maximum speed limit on Highway 113 is 65 MPH. When visibility is decreased to 300 feet the safe speed would be approximately 57 MPH. As visibility decreased so does the safe speed. To help drivers determine how fast they should drive when traveling in low visibility conditions, here list of speeds appropriate for conditions. 300 feet visibility is 57 MPH, 200 feet is 44 MPH, 100 feet is 27 MPH, and 50 feet is 16 MPH. The speeds are suggestions to safe speeds based on stopping distance calculations. It is up to the drivers to determine what a safe speed for the conditions would be. In a previous column we discussed the different law that is used to enforce maximum speed limits but the basic speed law applies in all circumstances.
This week I received an e-mail question about placement of stop limit lines at intersections. For the answer I spoke with City of Woodland Traffic Engineer Shawn Fisher. The limit lines in Woodland are generally placed where a crosswalk is or would be placed. Where a marked crosswalk is present, the first crosswalk line is where vehicles should stop. One situation that affects the placement of crosswalks is the location of wheelchair access ramps. Per the code book used by traffic engineers (MUTCD), a crosswalk or limit line is not allowed prior to a wheelchair access ramp.
The intersection that receives the most inquiries is the intersection of Hays Ln. and West St. At the intersection the limit line on Hays Ln. is placed back from the intersection approximately 20 feet. This placement is caused by a conflict with the wheelchair access ramp and a storm drain in the street.
Thank you for reading the article and you are welcome to submit questions through the www.woodlandpolice.org
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Unlicensed and Suspended Drivers
This week’s article will cover the topics of driving without a valid driver’s license and driving with a suspended driver’s license. Driving a motor vehicle in California is a privilege and not a right. The state has set specific requirements for California residents when it comes to possessing a valid driver license. One reason that the state regulates the issuance of driver’s licenses is for the safety of motorists.
When a driver is convicted or pleads guilty to a traffic violation there is a point value of one or two points charged to their driver license, depending on the severity of the violation. A person who received four points on their driving record in a year can have their privilege suspended. In addition to four points in a year a driver who receives a total of six points within two years or eight points within three years can have their privilege suspended.
Vehicle code section 12500(a) states, “A person may not drive a motor vehicle upon a highway, unless the person then holds a valid driver's license issued under this code, except those persons who are expressly exempted under this code.” Persons who are exempt from the requirement of possession a valid California driver license are United States government employees and persons operating implements of husbandry (farm equipment). Once a person moves California from another state and establishes residency they have 10 days to obtain a California driver license. After the 10 days has expired the driver license from the previous state is no longer valid. The fine for driving without a valid driver license is $521 for a first offense.
Vehicle code section 14601.1(a) states in summary that no person shall drive a motor vehicle at any time when that person’s driving privilege is suspended or revoked. A person’s driver’s license can be suspended for multiple reasons including excessive citations, failure to pay fines, DUI convictions, failure to pay child support, and reckless driving. The minimum fine for of driving with a suspended or revoked driver license is $1,395 and increases with subsequent convictions.
Vehicle code 14607.4 states in summary that the California Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right. (b) Of all drivers involved in fatal accidents, more than 20 percent are not licensed to drive. A driver with a suspended license is four times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. (c) At any given time, it is estimated by the Department of Motor Vehicles that of some 20 million driver's licenses issued to Californians, 720,000 are suspended or revoked. Furthermore, 1,000,000 persons are estimated to be driving without ever having been licensed at all. (e) Californian’s who comply with the law are frequently victims of traffic accidents caused by unlicensed drivers. These innocent victims suffer considerable pain and property loss at the hands of people who flaunt the law.
In addition to the fines imposed by the courts if an officer stops a vehicle for a violation and the vehicle is being driven by a person who is unlicensed or has a suspended or revoked driving privilege the vehicle may impounded for up to thirty days.
As stated in section 14607.4 it is imperative that all drivers be properly licensed. A reason proper licensing is needed is because an unlicensed driver has not gone through the proper testing procedures to ensure they are aware of the driving laws in California and can safely operate a motor vehicle.
One of the duties of the Traffic Division is to provide concentrated traffic enforcement to identified traffic problem areas. The Woodland Police Department has recently launched a new online crime reporting system. On the website you can report traffic concerns that will be directly disseminated to the traffic enforcement officers and patrol officers. You reach the website by going to www.woodlandpolice.org.
When a driver is convicted or pleads guilty to a traffic violation there is a point value of one or two points charged to their driver license, depending on the severity of the violation. A person who received four points on their driving record in a year can have their privilege suspended. In addition to four points in a year a driver who receives a total of six points within two years or eight points within three years can have their privilege suspended.
Vehicle code section 12500(a) states, “A person may not drive a motor vehicle upon a highway, unless the person then holds a valid driver's license issued under this code, except those persons who are expressly exempted under this code.” Persons who are exempt from the requirement of possession a valid California driver license are United States government employees and persons operating implements of husbandry (farm equipment). Once a person moves California from another state and establishes residency they have 10 days to obtain a California driver license. After the 10 days has expired the driver license from the previous state is no longer valid. The fine for driving without a valid driver license is $521 for a first offense.
Vehicle code section 14601.1(a) states in summary that no person shall drive a motor vehicle at any time when that person’s driving privilege is suspended or revoked. A person’s driver’s license can be suspended for multiple reasons including excessive citations, failure to pay fines, DUI convictions, failure to pay child support, and reckless driving. The minimum fine for of driving with a suspended or revoked driver license is $1,395 and increases with subsequent convictions.
Vehicle code 14607.4 states in summary that the California Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right. (b) Of all drivers involved in fatal accidents, more than 20 percent are not licensed to drive. A driver with a suspended license is four times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. (c) At any given time, it is estimated by the Department of Motor Vehicles that of some 20 million driver's licenses issued to Californians, 720,000 are suspended or revoked. Furthermore, 1,000,000 persons are estimated to be driving without ever having been licensed at all. (e) Californian’s who comply with the law are frequently victims of traffic accidents caused by unlicensed drivers. These innocent victims suffer considerable pain and property loss at the hands of people who flaunt the law.
In addition to the fines imposed by the courts if an officer stops a vehicle for a violation and the vehicle is being driven by a person who is unlicensed or has a suspended or revoked driving privilege the vehicle may impounded for up to thirty days.
As stated in section 14607.4 it is imperative that all drivers be properly licensed. A reason proper licensing is needed is because an unlicensed driver has not gone through the proper testing procedures to ensure they are aware of the driving laws in California and can safely operate a motor vehicle.
One of the duties of the Traffic Division is to provide concentrated traffic enforcement to identified traffic problem areas. The Woodland Police Department has recently launched a new online crime reporting system. On the website you can report traffic concerns that will be directly disseminated to the traffic enforcement officers and patrol officers. You reach the website by going to www.woodlandpolice.org.
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